Self-aligning conical roller



2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed NOV. 1, 1944 INYVEN'TOR. $6110? a? fa Mm,

ATTORNEYS.

Feb. 8, 1949. o, DAVlDSON 2,460,810

SELF- ALIGNING CONI CAL ROLLER Filed Nov. 1, 1944 I 2 sheets sheet 2 I l 5.5 5 x; Z 36 or a 36 I x #75 as I 57 J8 x 13/ Q 4? Z4 33:. 3

I I "m:

' IN VENTOR. M 0290M,

ATTORNEYS."

Patented Feb. 8, 1949 slam-Antonino CONICAL 1:01am: Trevor 0.. Davidson, Milwai lteegwis a signs to BucvrusiErie, Company, South Milwaukee,

Wis, a corporationof Delaware Application November 1, 1944; Serial No. 561,464;

9 Claims. (chaos-+220)- -1 My; invention relates .;to aligning conical rollers, for turntables, more especially the turn-tables. of self-propelled power-shovels, cranes, dragline excavators, and thanke new, and. useful selt- Insuclr,machinesrthelower works frequently carries twosuperimposed annular conicalrollerpaths.- Between these two paths run a series of conical rollers, carried ,1 by and, supporting the upper works. Theserollers normallyrest on the lower path,-,but are capableofiresting against the upper path to resist tipping. of :the upper works. Even agslight; wear; of onewof these rollers, and/orpof. eithenpath engaged by it, and/or Slightdeflectioncitric-structure,results in con,-

present inventiomftorender these rollers selfaligning, totheend thattheresults of wear and deflection may be offset and elirninated.

A further object of my inventi is'to devis a new, sinipleQandeffiientwayntoiassemble the conical-roller, the self-aligning bearings, and theaxleotmy device.

In addition to my principal; objects, above stated, I have worked out .IaYnumberof novel and useful details, whichwillbereadily evident as the description progresses.

My invention consists in the novel parts and in the combination and arrangement thereof, whicharedefinedin theappended claims, and of which, one embodimentis xe ec t z the accompanying drawings, which are hereinafter particularly described and explained.

Throughout the description, the same reference number is applied to the same member or to similar members.

Figure 1 is a plan view, partly in section of the upper and lower works of an excavator embodying my invention.

Figure 2 is an enlarged vertical section of one of my rollers and associated parts, taken along either of the lines 22 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a vertical section, perpendicular to that of Figure 2, taken along the line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Turning now to Figure 1, we see that H is the lower works of my excavator, supported by creeping traction units l2, and supporting a rack track casting, which comprises an upper track 13, a lower track l4, and an internal ring gear I5.

I6 is the upper works. It carries the engine Accordingly it is the principal object of my ,(not shown.) and. the excavating instrumentalities (not. shown) and is capable, of swinging through 3063 about the pintle l7, byrotating the pinion l8, whichderiendsiromthe upper-works andengages therack [5. The drive andcontrols (not shown), for the creepingtraction [L pase downwardly through-.pintle ll. 'Ih'e frame of thelupperworks, carries Eat each of its front corners axle [9, on which when equalizer, whichin turn carries twoaxlesjt, each of which. carries aconieal rollerfl; designed to runbetweentracks new ll. Substantially diametrically. across the upper works from, each of ax1esfl9,' is an, aide, (directly carriedfby the frame-5 which ,carries1 a conical roller. 22, designedto ,runbetweentracks i-3fandl4.f Turning now to Figures 2 and 3, let ,uslconsider the details of one of rollers 22, and its mounting. The axle2l. is rigidly secured tojl the j main frame I 6 on totheequali'zerlll, asthe case may belinlany convenientmanner, as by bolts, 2131.

Innerrace 25 0f a roilerbearing assembly has'a spherical outersurface, anda conical inner SUI:-

face, the taperedend 2415f. axle 2], is-forced th'e innersurfaceofinner race 25. Cooperating surfaces other than conical could. be, employed an axle H and inner race 25. Even av cylindrical surface could beemployed if the fitwere close enough, butsome sort ,of wedge interactionisto be preferred. On this race runarollersjifi,{held spaced; from each other bycages 21, which are well-'knownin the artr These-rollers in turn engage thelouter race 28, the inner surface of which is concentric with the spherical surface of the other race. Any other type of bearing, capable of limited universal movement, could be used; but preferably some type of anti-friction bearing, which term I shall use in my claims as generic to roller bearings, ball bearings, and the like.

The conical roller, the roller-bearing, and the axle are assembled in the following manner.

A cap 29 is secured to the small end of conical roller 22 by screw-bolts 30, but (except for considerations of manufacturing convenience) might just as well be built integral therewith. This cap 29 has a recess 3|, into which there fits very loosely a nut 32. Plus 33 project lengthwise from the small end of axle 2|, and engage slots 34 in nut 32. This engagement serves to prevent the nut from turning relative to the axle; and the use of slots, rather than, holes, serves to facilitate engagement without requiring too much precision.

' roller is pl A combined guide and oil-seal 35 is secured to the large face of conical roller 22 by screw-bolts 36, and serves to hold the outer race 28 in place.

When conical roller 22, cap 29, nut 32, the complete roller-bearing assembly, and combined guide and oil-seal 35, are all thus assembled, the 51 between the two o le -pa 3 and l 4. fi ls then insertedthroughiapprope riate hbles ii'l sha es in upper works 16'" or equalizer 20 as thecasemay be, and is secured to it by screw-bolts 23. A little juggling may be necessary to get pins 33 to engageig'slots 34.1,

Bolt 39 is then inserted lengthwise through hole 40 in axle 2i, and is f'serewedftight;thus causing nut 32 to seat inner race 25 firmly on tapered end 24 of axle 2|.

Lubricating oil can be forced "into-theinterior a of the assembly through oil-fitting 4I hole 42, and hole 40 (which is. sufiiciently larger than bolt 39 for this purpose).

Theform'of roller-bearing employed, enables conical roller 22 to oscillate to take-up wear, misalignment, and deflection, in a vertical direction, Italso permits some realignment in a horizontal direction; too much' being prevented by guide 35 bearing on axle'zlf h r It should be notedthat'there "isa slight clearance between guide 35 and axle 2!; also between guide35 and frame; or 20. This permits limited realignment, but prevents excessive realign men't. 'A flexible e1e' n'ent' l3' maintains the oilseal effect of guide 35, even; uring' relative move- Imen t of guide 35' and axle 21 j trmyin ennpn, 1' wish; it to be understood that my invention is 'not'tobe limited to 'the specific form or arrangement of parts herein described {"1 In a roller esembling turntables; the cornbination'of j the roller proper, having a central cavity; arisen-aligning antief ric tion bearing1with+ V in 'thiscavity'; an' axle; me n ror securing'the V axleto'theinner raceof the bearing-,said means comprisinga central hole'inthe inner raceQ a cooperating tightly fitting external conformation onthe axle, a nut to bear against the inner race 3. A roller assembly according to claim 1, further characterized by the fact that the cooperating surfaces of inner race and axle have a conical contract.

4. A roller assembly according to claim 1, further characterized by the fact that the axle and e means to limit ther characterized by having means to limit lateral oscillation of the roller proper with respect togthe :axle.

6. A roller assembly according to claim 1, furthe'r, characterized by having means to limit lateral oscillationpf the roller proper with respect to the ax1e,such means comprising a guide, l securedto the roller proper and bearing loosely uponthe axle.

"71 A" roller assembly according to claim 1, further characterized by having means to limit lateral oscillationof the roller proper with'respect to the axle, such means comprising a guide,

securedto the roller proper-and bearing loosely upon the axle, and being integral with the means for securing the outer race to the roller proper.

v 8. A rollerassemblyaccording toclaim-l, fur-- thercharacterized I by having means to limit lateral oscillation of tlie'roller proper with respectto the axle, such means comprising a comi Having now described and-illustrated one form r to" force itl ontofthe axle; andiafbolt passing through the axle and engaging' the nut; and means for securingthe outer race of the bearing t the ro l n 1. a "f2; A roller assembly according to claim 1, further characterized by the fact that the cooperating surfaeesof inner'race and axle have a'we'dgconta t :1

bined' guide and on seal, secured to the roller proper and bearing loosely upon the axle; and by having mean's for admitting oil into the interior of the assembly through the axle. I r

9. A roller assembly accordingto claiml, further characterized by the" factthat the-central "cavity has 'such conformation at its inner end as toh'old the nut aligned for insertion of the t IT RE Q Q DWID f R FERENCE orrnn- The following referencesriare of' record in the fil o t s a e ti I UNITED STATES-PATIENTS f 

